


leave me alone [don't leave me alone]

by alamxrt



Series: Riku and Alec's Bizarre Adventure(s) [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alec is worried, And I like Riku to be violent., Angst and Feels, Belial is a dick, I just like to torture my characters, One of the many AUs for these guys, Riku has a potty mouth, The besy remedy for sads is hot chocolate and blankets, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, This ones like a "technology is weird in this universe" au, based on the numbers i mean, honestly just kill me now, i dunno, is it really though?, kill me before i kill myself because this is absolute shit, only my friends are gonna see this i bet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-26
Updated: 2016-09-27
Packaged: 2018-08-17 10:38:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8140922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alamxrt/pseuds/alamxrt
Summary: He's tired.His new brother is worried.His old brother is a dick.





	1. sorry, kid [i couldn't take it anymore]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Rikuto is done with dealing with his brother still being alive after having tortured him for days on end at one point earlier in their lifetimes.
> 
> Spoiler: Riku wins. And prods out Belial's other eye as a result.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> daaaaamn, box, back at it with the angst (and old memes)
> 
> Inspiration:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6Qc7eOiqtI

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Hey, kid._

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_riku!_

_i haven't heard from you in forever!!_

 

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Yeah, I've been pretty fuckin' busy._

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_with what?? you've been gone for months!!!!_

 

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Non-human stuff. Don't fuckin' worry about it._

_Anyway, I need a favour._

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_you disappear for months and are just now getting in contact with me for a_ favor _?_

 

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Yeah, sorry, kid, but it's really important. You're the only one I trust to do this for me, okay?_

_So don't fuck it up._

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_what is it...?_

 

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Don't fuck this up, okay? Don't fuck anything up. Keep doing your job, make sure to make lots of cakes. Go for your dreams and don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't. Don't get down and out of the game, because there's definitely something out there for you. Life's tough, but you gotta handle it one day at a time. Don't be like me and waste your days doing nothing, make sure you always have something to do, or else your life is gonna get real fuckin' boring real fuckin' soon. Don't step out of line, but also don't take anyone's fuckin' shit. Just, don't be a an idiot and you'll be fine. And hey, if life ever gets you down, just punch something and you'll be fine. Something soft, like a pillow. Or yourself. Hah, see, I can be funny. Don't worry about hating people or not getting along, because who cares about all that? Just do what you gotta do, kid._

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_why are you telling me all this...? are you okay?_

 

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_I don't understand why people have to like each other all the time. It's pretty fuckin' weird to me. I don't understand what happened to me, but, hell, kid... you've really done a number. Most of all? I don't understand why I'm the one feeling this way. With all the entirety of my being, I always resented the word 'brother,' but callin' you that? Hah, it's like I have an entire new view on it. Why does it have to be like that? Why can't I just go back and forget all of this shit happened? Shit was simple back then, y'know? Shit, I didn't have to worry about gettin' in to trouble, I just did it, 'cause I could. But, fuck, man, you came into my life and now I'm all fuckin' screwed up. Man, my chest hurts. Like, this is fuckin' heartbreakin'. Hah, I don't even have a heart. Trust me, I tried to look for one,  but hey, it's not there. S'all I got is like... I dunno, **nothin'.**_

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_riku... you're scaring me..._

 

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Eheh, so, anyway, kid. My favour. I want you to make sure you have somethin' to hold onto, alright? So, just fuckin' go into my room right now and get that thing I got ya. And, hey, while you're at it, tell your parents that they're not so bad, either, okay?_

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_riku, please tell me what's going on_

 

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Sorry, kid. I gotta go._

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_riku??? riku!!!_

* * *

        "Sorry, kid," Rikuto repeats the words in his mind, rolling an unlit cigarette around in his mouth. He pushes it to the corner with his tongue, tucking his phone in his pocket shortly after sending the text message. A sickening grin spreads across his lips as he proceeds to fish out his favourite zippo from the same pocket. He flicks the lid over, cupping a hand over the cigarette as he lights it. The wind's irritating, he thinks, as he closes the zippo and slips it back into his pocket. His brows knit and he inhales, enjoying the feeling of warmth filling his lungs; it's comforting, in an odd sense. He continues to lazily roll the cigarette around, a sigh full of smoke escaping his mouth eventually as he pulls it from his mouth.

        "You're late," he says, voice remaining calm and even as he looks at the ground. It hasn't started raining yet, which he considers a good sign.

        "When have you known me to show up on time?" _God,_ that voice grates on him. His fingers tremble, but he manages to steady his shoulders as soon as they start to do the same. He can't show weakness in front of this one, not a single bit.

        "Guess you have a point," he replies with a shrug, taking another inhale of his cigarette. It doesn't help his nerves as much as he hopes it will.

        "You know," drawls the voice, causing Rikuto to inhale sharply. He can almost feel it on the back of his neck and he tries - _oh, **god** does he try_ \- not to shudder at the feeling. "I was surprised when you called me," he's closer now. Too close. Rikuto hisses in response.

        "Hah, guess you could call yourself lucky, then," he manages to reply, words laced with venom that he's not sure the other hears - if he does, then he doesn't say anything about it.

        "Yeeeeaaaah," a hand rests upon his shoulder as the word is drawn out. Rikuto tries not to flinch. _He fails._

        "Hah, are you scared of me?"

        "You're a fuckin' idiot."

        "I love you too."

        "Shut up."

        "Oooh, harsh tone," as he can feel the hand moving, possibly holding up a mock defensive position. Then it's back, but curling around his shoulders, making him tense underneath the grip.

        "Get off me," he grumbles. His cigarette is useless now, crushed in his hand and tossed aside shortly after. The only remnant of it being a flame dancing around his hand, threatening.

        "You know, it's been awhile since we've been this close."

        "Belial," his tone is warning enough. The older steps away, sighing heavily as if he's truly distraught.

        "You really don't like me, huh, lil' bro? Shame..." He pauses, humming to himself - he's thinking, trying to translate his thoughts into words.

        It's like a flash of lightning, the next move striking him right where it hurts. His side feels like it's on fire, which shouldn't even be possible. Rikuto recoils, wheezing as his hand flies to apply pressure to the wound. Despite this, the grin he sports threatens to tear his face and he nearly loses it at the mere thought that he wasn't the one to throw the first punch. So be it, he supposes, he'll just have to get the last one, instead. He retaliates, his own movements matching the speed from earlier - he had to be as fast, if not faster to actually win.

        His world turns on its head when he's countered every time. _Fuck_ , he's so fucking screwed.

        "Come on, little brother," Belial teases, sticking his tongue out, "if you're strong enough to rip one of my eyes out, certainly you can beat me, right?"

        He doesn't fall for it, he doesn't need to; Belial's very concept makes his skin crawl. _Shit_ , he should've killed him earlier - it's so difficult to even get one hit in, let alone enough to actually hurt him. Despite his hesitance, laughter springs forward from him. He can't stop it, it merely continues until he's leaned over, grasping at his sides as they started to burn. He could get a workout from how much he was laughing.

        Rikuto wheezes in surprise as the sight of metal catches his gaze. _Fuck, **no.**_ He can't deal with that. Before he can react, before his mind even catches up, the sight of blood catches his gaze - his gaze which is now limited. It hurts, _oh god does it hurt_ and he can't _see_ because of the mixture of blood in his one good eye and the lack of use in his other. He's not sure what hurts more, his pride or his face. It seems pretty even to him.

        "Fuck you," he spits, raising his hand up to his face. Immediately, it catches fire once more, - that refuel earlier really helped - cauterizing the wound to prevent it from bleeding any more. Fire, he finds, doesn't hurt him like it should other people; never has. It doesn't bother him in the slightest, just a faint warm sensation that he feels.

        "Oooh, kinky," Belial muses aloud, voice causing bile to rise in Riku's throat - he has to resist the urge to vomit on the spot at the implication.

        Promptly shutting his mouth, Riku snarls once - if he doesn't talk, Belial can't twist his words - and darts forward. He intends to kill, intends to tear apart that grin that's spreading on Bel's face, to rip his _other_ eye from its socket - anything to hurt him as much as Belial hurt _him_.

        And he does. He realises it when Belial lets out a strangled gasp. He has hands wrapped around Belial's throat in a heartbeat, fingers digging in for all he's worth. He swears he sees blood pour from where his nails are digging into Belial's skin, creating crescent shaped marks that he knows are going to bruise later on - if Bel even lives that long.

        "B-bro-" Belial rasps, clawing at Rikuto's wrists in a desperate attempt to get himself free. All that bark and no bite, he's hopeless to even try.

        Rikuto's not sure when flashbacks became apart of his life, but now feels appropriate enough for one - given the situation, he doesn't pay much mind to them.

* * *

        _"Come on, little brother," Belial's voice is lost in the dark, though Rikuto can clearly feel the pain of a scalpel digging into his skin. He's bleary, unsure of where he is at the moment, but he feels rope rub against his wrists every time he tries to move, so he knows he's not going anywhere soon. Fire dances across his skin, cauterizing wounds as soon as they're caused and he swears it's worse than his own, hotter somehow - blue... he can tell that it's blue by the light it gives off. Belial's fire had always been hotter than his own, always been able to burn him. And now, it hurts him; he doesn't know why, because it hasn't done so before, but it **hurts** and he wants to scream and cry and he just can't- why can't he scream, why can't he cry?_

_"You've gotta keep up," Belial tells him, another slice punctuating his words. He can hear the cackle, hear the rasping laughter as it echos off the walls. The room is small, he knows that now - maybe windowless with how dark it is. Probably has a steel door. All sorts of runes and who knows what else - everything made to keep him caged in._

_He can't remember how long he's been here, but he knows it's been awhile. He can't tell, but he swears he hears his phone ringing somewhere - he knows it's his, because that's Alec's ringtone, the one he picked out. Riku had reluctantly agreed to set it as his ringtone, not daring to change it unless he face a rather upset - though it was mostly just sad - Alec if he ever heard anything different._

         _"Don't tell me you're passing out on me, already," there's a teasing tone. Ugh, he wants to throw up. He doesn't want to hear that voice any more, let alone the words that are coming from his mouth. He decides to try to drown it out, try to focus on something other than here. Something other than Belial. Something pleasant. And at first, it's difficult, because his life has been nothing but torture up until now - and even now, it's only **worse** torture. But he continues to think and faces flash in his mind: Alec, mother, father... It's a wonder he ever forgot them with how they're always doting on him like a child._

_"You're pathetic," Belial recoils - he can tell by how the flames dart away from the wounds on his chest. He's surprised him? Good. He should be shocked. Rikuto takes the opportunity to twist his wrists around until they're raw and bleeding, - it hurts like hell and he wants to stop, but he doesn't - to free them in any way possible. Turns out, blood is just what he needs them to be covered in. It's not something he'd usually use for fuel, but now that he is, he intends to use it more often. Maybe even use Belial's own against him one day, who knows._

         _"Really," Belial doesn't have a single sound of inflection, tone dull and brash. Riku takes it as a hint that he's done something to deserve harsher torture, but he knows that's not going to happen. Because he's getting out of here. **Now.**_

* * *

       "Really gotta hand it to you," Riku muses as he trails a hand up to inspect Belial's eye darting around to and fro. He doesn't smile as he continues, simply prodding at it. He notes that Bel tries to blink, as if the digit pressed right against his eye irritates him. Of course it would, why wouldn't it?

        "You sure know how to throw a party," he says as he digs his finger in, right under the top eyelid. It's a difficult squeeze, but he's strong enough to shatter the bone blocking his way, making it easier for him to curl that finger around the irritating purple that's glaring up at him.

        "I almost thought I wouldn't have fun," he continues, his thumb following the trail of his fingers. He digs it under the bottom eyelid. He momentarily considers popping it out, like that would help him any. But, as he thinks about it, that wouldn't be as fun. So, he simply doesn't, and instead removes his fingers all together. There's blood lapping at his index finger, probably a result of digging in too deep. It's disgusting, really.

        His finger closes in again, jabbing heartily at Belial's eye until he hears and even _feels_ the 'squelch' it makes as he's finally successful in plucking it out. Of course, he's poked his eye literally clean through, but he's still ripped it from its socket by jerking his hand back quickly enough.

        Finally he simply lets the other go, feeling the fight and resolve kicked out of him to the point where it simply wasn't fun any more. Huffing a breath, he wipes the blood from his fingers on his jacket.

        And lights up another cigarette.

        _He contemplates disappearing after this.  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kill me  
> ari do u hate me yet or nah


	2. i feel like im drowning [when you're away]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which things don't go according to plan and Riku goes home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFjryf8zH_M

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Hang on, kid._

       Rikuto doesn't bother to check for a reply text, simply shoving his phone back into his pocket. He hasn't left the spot, simply crouched upon the ground from previously tending to his wound. He didn't think Belial's jacket was more useful than it was now, being torn apart and used for bandages. He's just thankful that Bel always wore a long coat, making it easy for him to wrap the makeshift bandages around his torso several times instead of needing to tie them together to achieve the same effect. He stands up after the text is sent, dusting himself off and taking a drag of his cigarette. It burns him now, the feeling overwhelming, mingling with all else he's got within him - he shouldn't even be able to feel these many emotions, but he is.

        _It's confusing._

       He purses his lips, flicking the cigarette butt toward the ground. He doesn't bother to step on it, because if the rain is hard enough to hurt, it's hard enough to drench something so flimsy. He leaves it at that, rubbing over his face - his fingers brush across his eye and he inwardly flinches. Payback, he decides, is an absolute bitch.

       Resting his head against his hand, he continues down the street, fingers grasping at the strips of cloth loosely wrapped around his head. It hurts. It _burns_ , but he can't do anything about it.

       He finally decides to check his text messages.

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_riku...?_

 

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Hey, kid.  
_

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_riku!!!!!_

_are you okay???_

 

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Uh, yeah. Okay is an overstatement.  
_

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_what happened??? are you okay???  
_

       He grunts in response. _No, no he is not okay._

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Yeah, I'm good.  
_

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_are you sure???_

       He's not.

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Yeah.  
_

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_when... are you gonna come home???  
_

       "Who knows?" He asks as he bites at one of his fingernails.

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Dunno.  
_

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_please come home soon..._

 

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Can't make promises.  
_

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_at least try???  
_

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_Yeah.  
_

 

_**[1862] Vyse, Alec:** _

_please hurry...  
_

       And he does. He does, because he can almost hear the crack in Alec's voice, he can almost hear it through _text_ and that's what spurs to him to break out into a sprint. Despite the pain lapping at his body, he runs as fast as he can. He takes shortcuts over buildings and through alleyways, he doesn't know when he's going to make it home, but he knows he's going to get there eventually, even if it kills him. _  
_

       By the time he's several blocks away from his previous location, his lungs are heaving and he's wheezing as if he's out of breath. _He doesn't even need to breathe._

       "Shit," he swears, fingers digging into his jacket as he grasps at his side. He's reopened the wound by exerting himself, but he's not out of the ballpark yet.

       He's not even close. He realizes that when he remembers that he's halfway across the world, that he'll have to get across the ocean to ever have a chance of getting home. The thought of it makes him hiss.

       Well, Alec _did_ tell him to hurry. Might as well get on that.

_**[3267] Fukui, Rikuto:** _

_I'm on my way._

       He hurts, he hurts so much, but he has to get back before he completely passes out - or worse, _dies_. If he dies now, then he won't be able to see how happy Alec is to see him. How happy anyone is, really. He wants to see a smile, just one before he dies, so he wills himself not to. It's difficult and he feels like he's on fire - does he even know what that feels like? He thinks it's something similar to this. Something like... he's dying inside, it's hard to breathe - why can't he breathe? Where's the air? _  
_

       He can't breathe, because there's nothing to breathe. He's floating. The water hurts. When did he jump into the water? Ugh, it's salty, too. It burns his skin, makes him feel like he's melting. _Fuck_ , why does water always hurt him? He can see the welts forming on his skin. Fire can't help him, nothing can, because water's too strong for him right now - the _current_ is too strong. He thinks it's pathetic that he hurts at the mere feeling of something like this.

       Lighter fluid and water are two different things, he realizes, and he could use some lighter fluid right now.

       The ocean is scary to him, it makes him tremble - fear of the unknown, he thinks. Something like that. He just doesn't like it, for rather obvious reasons. Who knows what's down there at the bottom? If he could find a way to keep himself from get soaked to the bone by it, he'd want to find out.

       He decides he doesn't want to find out, now.

       His head breaches the water suddenly and he's gasping for air, feeling fire lick across his skin as a defense mechanism. It's immediately put out by the water, however, as waves roll across him, nearly drowning him before he gets a grasp on flailing his arms to stay above them.

       "Fuck, shit, fuck-" he repeats the words over and over as he spits water from his mouth, kicking his feet to keep his head above the water. This is another form of torture, he recognizes, because it hurts him to the core, no matter how fast he moves along the waves.

       Shit, what about his phone? The thing's probably broken now. Now he won't be able to see Alec's messages.

       Vaguely he thinks about what the new ones could've said. 'Be careful' or something along those lines. He snorts. _Typical._

       And then turns his focus on returning back home. Sooner he gets to land, sooner he can dry out and head home.

* * *

       Rikuto groans as he finally drops himself unceremoniously on the shore, his face meeting sand that sticks to him in clumps. _Gross_.

       He's lucky the beach is mostly empty at this time of year, because otherwise, he'd be screwed. People would probably think he was some sort of castaway or something. And then he'd get found out by the doctors who try to stick him with needles or something.

       He lays there for what feels like hours, eye closing in an attempt to keep sand out of them and to allow him to rest. He needs it, he's exhausted and he won't be able to make it home without a few minutes at least. While he's resting, he tries to imagine what it'd be like when he got back. Maybe some food would be made, he'd probably have a clean change of clothes... his room would be like he left it. Everything would go back to normal.

      When he finally opens his eye, the sun is setting into the horizon and he can no longer feel water burning through his clothes. He heaves a sigh, blowing grains of sand away from himself. Slowly, he shakes the rest off of him as he sits up, prying the clumps away from his face and jacket - he can hardly lean over to reach his pants, so he doesn't bother with them.

       He contemplates that time it is, considers checking his phone before he realizes that he'd jumped into the water with it still in his pocket. And it's not waterproof in the slightest.

       "Ah, shit," he pulls it from his pocket, along with his lighter and pack of cigarettes. All dry now, but obviously previously drenched as he was. He tries the lighter first, finding it only gives off sparks. Then, he digs around in the pack for a cigarette, finding them all to be smashed. And then he tests his phone, which refuses to turn on. Just his luck.

       He tosses them all onto the beach as he stands up, kicking sand over them when he stretches his legs out. His entire body hurts worse, but he's no longer bleeding, so there's one good thing. He can feel sand in places that sand shouldn't be, though, which irritates him to no end. He'll have to take fifty showers to get rid of it, he figures.

       Another groan comes to him as he presses a hand to his side. That hurts. Moving hurts. Everything hurts. He's not quite out of the hornet's nest, yet, though, so he continues making his way up the beach; if he runs, he'll probably open the wounds again or worse, create new ones without even realizing it. Probably run headfirst into traffic, this time.

       Amazingly, he manages to make it home without doing anything stupid this time. He'd pat himself on the back if he wasn't sure that would hurt him. Now came to getting inside without anyone realizing he was home. Shouldn't be too hard, considering everyone should be asleep.

       He notices his mistake as soon as he opens the door.

       _Everyone is awake. Everyone is sitting in the living room._ What's worse, there's a Christmas tree.

       "Well, shit," he sighs, mentally signing his defeat off as he steps further inside. Alec's the first to greet him, with a hesitant hug - in which he flings himself at Riku without even realizing it. It hurts. It hurts, but he catches Alec in one of his arms and carries him back to the couch. Where he promptly sets him down and then drops between him and mum, heaving a breath.

       "And just where have you been?" Mama asks and Riku has to listen carefully to hear her over the sound of his heartbeat pounding in his head. She sounds disappointed, but with a somewhat happy lilt in her voice - upset that he was gone, but happy that he's returned.

       "Out," he replies with a shrug.

       "Out where?" Wonders Alec. He's definitely worried.

       "Like I said, non-human stuff; don't worry about it."

       "We _were_ worried."

       "Oh-fuckin'-well," with another shrug. He decides not to tell them, it's for the best. But, he knows they're gonna worry anyway; if they didn't worry, they wouldn't be themselves.

       "Are you hungry?" Mother again, curiosity in her tone.

       "Kinda."

       Promptly, Alec and mum are on their feet again, heading into the kitchen. They leave dad and Riku to sit in the living room, silence filling the spots they left behind. Riku figures dad is asleep, not addressing him and preferring to rest a bit longer. Fortunately for him, dad's continued silence was all he was greeted with.

       Something of an hour later and he hears mama's voice from the kitchen, calling for both him and papa. There's a pause, but dad gets up first, smiling down at him.

       "Come on, son."

       Rikuto freezes. That's the first time anyone has called him that. He hesitates, checks his wrist as if he actually wore a watch, and then admits defeat. He climbs from the couch as soon as dad leaves the room, following after with a hand rubbing the back of his neck.

       The sight he's met with is certainly an odd one. The entire dining table is filled with all kinds of food - it makes him wonder how they got it done in just an hour. His amazement his hidden by his hood as he lazily takes a seat beside Alec, across from dad.

       "Alright, I'll eat it," he says, knowing he might as well not argue with them about it.

* * *

       By the time they're done eating, Rikuto's eaten most of the food, but the others are too full to even complain about it. The food was pretty good, he thinks, as he leans back in the chair, huffing a breath. Well, maybe a bit of it was weird, but he wasn't quite used to anything that wasn't pizza.

       "Was it good?" Asks a rather excited Alec.

       "It was normal," Riku replies with a shrug and Alec smiles at his response. From the corner of his eye, he can see mum and dad smile, too.

       "Alec, how about you and Riku make the hot chocolate while dad and I bring the mattresses into the living room?" Mama asks, earning a nod from Alec and a two finger salute from Riku.

       "Alright, old lady," he says, standing from the chair. Pain shoots up his side and it takes all he has not to wince. Good thing he wouldn't have to worry about that in a couple of hours.

       Mother and father leave the room, allowing Alec to clamber from his spot and grab a box full of packets of hot chocolate, unopened and appearing brand new. At least, as new as Riku's seen - he's looked through this kitchen a hundred times and he's never seen hot chocolate. _Probably a seasonal thing._

       Silently, he moves over and grabs a handful of cups, setting them on the counter. He always lets Alec deal with the water, always backs away from the sink or keeps his distance if possible. He grunts as he grabs the box from Alec's hands, watching as he looks momentarily surprised before he smiles.

       "You warm the water," he says, ripping a few packets open with his teeth. He proceeds to pour the contents into the four cups, tossing the empty packets onto the counter, promptly swept off and into the trash can by Alec, and drops the box back onto the bottom shelf of the cabinet they were retrieved from. From the corner of his eye, he can spot Alec pouring hot water into a kettle - _that's new. Huh._

       He remains silent as he leans his hip against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. He watches, intent on figuring out this new way of making hot chocolate - the water's warmed by the stove, he figures, since maybe the microwave won't get it hot enough? _Interesting._

       After the stove is turned on, kettle placed on an eye, which gradually warms up, Alec turns to Riku with curiosity and worry.

       Riku doesn't let him plead his case. He doesn't want to hear it. He walks out into the living room only to nearly trip over one of the mattresses sprawled on the floor. A brow raises as he spots mum and dad sitting on one of them, flipping through television channels - probably to find a season appropriate movie.

       He sighs, - _this is ridiculous_ \- but pulls off his boots anyway and climbs over the mattress to get to the couch, where he sprawls himself out to get comfortable. The plushness of the couch makes him ease into it easily, allowing for him to lay comfortably without his side hurting as much.

       Before he realises it, he's shaken awake by Alec, who has a mug of hot chocolate in his hand. He groggily lifts his head, takes the mug, and then sits up as Alec takes his seat back on the mattress in front of the couch. Taking a sip from the cup, he finds it to be rather... enjoyable. He takes another, humming against the rim of the mug.

       "It's good, isn't it?" Alec asks in a low voice, seemingly trying not to wake mum and dad, as he smiles up at Riku.

       "Not really," Rikuto lies, shaking his head, but he takes another sip, anyway.

       "Yeah..." Alec doesn't agree, but he simply lets it go. He's just glad to have his brother back.

       A few minutes later and Alec's finished his hot chocolate, now curled up and out like a light. Riku thinks it's amazing how humans can fall asleep so easily despite doing it earlier, himself.

       "Yeah, Merry Christmas, kid," he murmurs as he sets his cup down on the side table. With a yawn, he lazily drops himself back against the couch, curling up for another light nap.

       He decides, in his mind, that Christmas isn't that bad any more. Because he gets to spend his birthday with his family - and that's a good enough present for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //lays on the floor  
> im so sad for my characters man....


End file.
